Expanding chains for wrist bands



April 10, 1956 A PINSON EXPANDING CHAINS FOR WRIST BANDS Filed Jan. 22, 1953 15' INVENTOR. 13,. 749?! o'n BY United States Patent EXPANDING CHAINS FOR WRIST BANDS Alfred Pinson, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Apex Accessories Co., Inc., Greenwich, Conn.

Application January 22, 1953, Serial No. 332,670

4 Claims. (Cl. 59-79) My invention relates to expanding chains of the single row type characterized by a string of liners each pivotally connected to an outer shell mounted to swing on to an adjacent liner by a spring actuated link carried by the liner over which the shell swings. Each of'the liners carries a shell fixed thereto to house the spring for actuating the link and which fixed shell is adopted to nest into the swinging shell when the chain is retracted by the spring actuated link to normal condition.

An obiect of the invention is to provide an expanding chain of the single row type which when extended provides a string of chain elements without any gaps between, whether viewed from above or below.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chain of the type referred to in which the interconnecting chain elements have an angular movement there in excess of 90 so that the chain can be formed into bands or bracelets of small circular dimensions.

In the appended drawing, forming part of this application,

Fig. l is a side elevation of a chain section with a unit in section on line 1-1, Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the chain section shown in Fig. 1

- partly in section on line 2-2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the liner inner face;

Fig. 4 is a top view of the inner shell; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5 Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 6 is a liner preferably of rectangular configuration, one end of which is provided with a hinge section 7. The opposite end 8 of the liner 6 is raised to form an end wall. Each side edge of the liner is provided with a wall 9 rising above the inner face of the liner 6. The walls 9 having aligning slots 10 in symmetry with a channel 11 extending between the two walls 9 on the inner face of the line 6 median of the end 8 and the hinge section 7. As will be seen from Fig. 3, the walls 9 of the liner 6 are ofiset inwardly from the edges to clear the extensions 12 of the side walls 14 of an inner shell 13. The side walls 14 are slotted as indicated at 15 to register with the slots 10 in the walls 9 of the liner.

These registering slots 1015 form bearings for a loop shaped link 16 as best shown in Figs. 2 and S. The extensions 12 of the side walls 14 of the inner shell 13 terminate with lugs 25 for securing the inner shell to the liner.

The loop of the link 16 is preferably rectangular in shape and the ends 17 thereof are preferably extended inwardly to form a support for the ends 18 of helical springs 19. The ends 17 of the link are preferably coplanar with the link. The two springs as will be noted are wound in opposite directions although cumulative in their winding and unwinding. The channel 11 provides clearance for the springs 19 and stiifens transversely the liner 6. The ends 20 of the springs 19 are in engagement with the inner face of the liner and the tendency of the said springs 19 is to normally swing the link 16 thereof toward the end of the liner where the hinge section 7 is provided. The portion of the links loop outside the inner 2,741,084 Patented Apr. 10, 1956 shell 13 straddles it to move freely about the shell 13 when the link 16 swings on the liner 6. The pivotal axis of the link on the liner coincides with the axis of the cylindrical section forming the inner shell 13.

The arm 21 forming part of the loop of the link 16 serves as a pintle for a sleeve 22 formed at one end of an outer shell 23. The opposite end of shell 23 having hinge sections 24 to cooperate with the hinge section 7 of a liner 6 adjacent thereto. A pin 24' couples the hinge section 7 of the liner with the hinge sections 24 of the outer shell 23, so that the liner with the shell 13 locked thereto has the shell 13 normally nested in the shell 23 coupled to the same liner by the link 16. In that position the adjacent units of the chain may swing through an angle of about as indicated best in Fig. 1 in dash and three dots lines.

In extending the chain each liner carries therewith the outer shell 23 that is hinged to it; thus swinging the link 16 in its bearing on the adjacent liner on which 'it is mounted and moving therewith the outer shell from the position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. l to that shown in dash and two dots lines at the end of the movement of said outer shell. The intermittent position of the outer shell 23 is shown in full lines.

From the above, it will be seen that in extending the chain, the outer shell 23 swings over the inner shell 13 and its angular movement from the start to the end of its movement describes substantially an angle of about The chain is restored to its normal retracted position by the springs 19 turning the link 16.

In the nested position of the shells 13 and 23 the inner concave peripheral surface of shell 23 is spaced from the outer convex peripheral surface of shell 13. It will be noted that in the nested position of the shells 13 and 23 the curved tops of the shells are not coaxial but in symmetry with respect to a transverse plane passing through the common axis of the link pivot and the inner shell and perpendicular to the liner. The axis or" the outer shell lies in said plane below that of the inner shell and parallel thereto to provide more space between the nested shells at the liner than at the middle of the tops. This results from difierence of curvatures between the concave and convex peripheries, the concave being flatter. The radial distance of sleeve 22 facing the outer surface of the top of the shell 13 is greater than the radial distance of said outer surface, in other words, the portion of the link that straddles the inner shell top clears the outer periphery of same when moving about it in extending or retracting the chain.

The units of the chain are preassernbled as follows: The link 16 with the springs 19 thereon is placed into slots 10 of the side walls 9 of the liner 6 and the springs are tensioned. The shell 13 is provided with a transverse channel to form a cradle 2-5 on which the arm 21 of the link 16 rests when the shell 13 is fitted on to the liner 6. The slots 15 of the side walls 14 of the shell 13 are made to engage the link arm with the tensioned spring 19 thereon. The shell 13 is then locked to the liner 6 by lugs 25.

The outer shell 23 is then mounted on the arm 21 of the link by shaping the end of the shell top thereat into a sleeve 22 about the arm 21 of the link clearing the side arms of the link. The sides of the shell at the link extend partially over the link side arms in normal position of the unit. (See left unit of Figs. 1 and 2).

The rest of the side walls of the outer shell 23 drop to the level of the bottom of the liner thereat in the normal position of the unit. The top end of the shell between the side walls at the drop have extensions adopted to be shaped into hingesections 4 when the outer shell is to be coupled to a liner carrying a pin 2 fitting between the side walls of the outer shell 23.

It is evident that the form of the shell 23 may be varied to'suit changes either of design or form. As an example,

the side walls of the outer shell may beconvex and the tangular contour pivotally mounted on said liner with an arm thereof, between the ends ofthe liner, to swing from end to end of the liner through an arc of about 180,

, springs on said pivoted arm for maintaining the link in a predetermined position on the liner, a shell secured to the liner for housingtthe, pivoted arm and springs, said shell,

having a convex periphery coaxial with the links pivot ery of the first shell when nested, the curvature of the concave periphery being flatter than that of the convex periphery, said second shell having one end thereof hinged to the swinging arm of the link opposite the one pivotedto thetliner, the length of the link between the pivoted and swinging arms'is such that said hinged portiontof said shell clears the convex periphery of the first shell when the link moves about it on its pivot, said second shell having means at the end opposite the one hinged to the link for pivotally coupling it to a proximate liner of an adjacent unit, said coupling normally lying outside the second shells hinged connection, with a link of an adjacent unit, provides an angular movement of about 135 between adjacent liners of proximate units in retracted normal position of the chain.

2. An expanding chain for wrist bands having aligning units, each comprising a liner having a hinge section at one end, a spring actuated loop shaped link pivotally mounted on the liner with an aim of the link, to swing the link through an arc of about 180?, from the proximity V of the hinge section where it is normally maintained, to pass the opposite edge of the liner, a dome shaped shell secured to the liner housing the pivoted arm, with the rest of the link straddling the shell, the arc and dome having a common perpendicular to a plane passing through the longitudinal axis or" the unit and perpendicular to said unit, the radius or" the are described by any point of the links loop outside the shell is greater than the radius of any opposite proximate point of the periphery of the dome, a second shell of a contour similar to the first normally nesting the first shell on the liner in spaced relation of the domes and in symmetry with each other and the said plane, said second shell having a pair of coupling means normally disposed outside the first shell on diametrically opposite sides thereof in symmetry with the said plane, one of said coupling pivotally connecting the second shell to the link part normally in proximity of the hinge section of the liner, said connection clearing the outer periphery of the first shell in the movement of the link on its pivot, the other coupling means connecting pivotally the second shell to a hinge section of a liner of anadjacent unit, said last means providing an angular movement between proximate liners of adjacent units of about7l35 in normal retracted position of the chain.

3. Au expanding chain for wrist bands having aligning units, each unit comprising a liner of rectangular contour having a hinge'section at one of the shorter sides, a

, spring actuated loop shaped rectangulartlink pivotally mounted with an arm thereof between the longer sides of the liner to swing thereon through an arc of about 180, the swinging arm of the link opposite the pivoted arm normally resting on the liner in proximity of. the hinge section, a shell having a cylindrically curved top pivotally coupled to the swinging arm of the link, with the axis of the top running transversely of the longitudinal axisof the unit, said shell extending over the linerin normal retracted position of the link, a second shell of a contour similar to i the first secured to the liner over the pivoted arm to nest in the first shell in the normal retracted position 'of the unit, the curved tops of the two shells being spaced from one another in the nested position, the axis of curvature of the second shells top lying in the axis of the pivoted arm of the link, with the rest of the link outside, the second shell straddling the same, the radius of the swinging arms arc is greater than the radius of curvature of the outer periphery of the second shell, said firstshell having a second coupling means diametrically opposite, thefirst couplingit to the swinging arm of the link, said second coupling connecting pivotally the first shell to a hinge section of, an adjacent liner of a proximate unit, the coupling end of the first shell with the swinging arm of the link lying outside of the curved top of the second shell at all positions of the'link on its pivot.

4. An expanding chain for wrist bands having aligning units, each unit comprising a liner having a hinge section at one'end thereof and rising slotted walls on the opposite side of the liner between the ends of same, a loop shaped rectangular link having an arm thereof pivoted in said slots, springs associated with said arm to normally maintain the opposite swinging arm of the link on the liner in proximity of the hinge section, a shell having a cylindrically curved top and slotted side walls between the ends of the shell to engage the pivoted arm in the slotted walls of the liner said shell housing the springs and said pivoted arm, with the rest of the link straddling the shell, means securing the shell to the liner-to bring the axis of the shells curvature into the axis of the pivoted arm, a second shell having a contour similar to the first and nesting the first shell in nonnalretracted position of the unit, the curved tops of said shells being spaced from each other when nesting, said second shell having a hinge section for greater than the radial distance of the'outer periphery of the first shell so that the hinge of the swinging arm with the second shell clears the curved top ofthe first shell when the unit is either extended or retracted.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESVPATEN TS 

